At the beginning of the new year, many people are filled with enthusiasm as they set out to make positive changes or resolutions to their physical health and mental health. But—just a few weeks later—find themselves falling into old habits. If you can relate, consider that the problem is not you or your dedication. It’s probably your goal. 

Healthy living goals that are lofty and nonspecific (such as “lose weight” or “save more money” or “find a new job”) don’t set you up for success. A vague goal actually works against you because it’s not measurable. So it’s hard to know how and where to implement the changes that can turn into results. Then, when changes don’t happen, you can feel as though you’ve failed. 

Instead, approach a healthy lifestyle goal the same as you would any big project. You don’t get to the end without completing many small tasks along the way. Try breaking down a big goal into a minimum of four smaller steps.  

For example, let’s say you have a big goal to eat healthier. Here are four smaller tweaks that can get you there. Focus on making one tweak at a time, before moving on to the next.

Example 1: Big Goal = Eat Healthier 

Tweak 1: For one week, quickly record what you eat and drink for meals and snacks, or consider tracking your macros. The purpose of this tweak is to gather some data and get a big picture of where mealtime or food tweaks will have the biggest impact for you. You can record your food intake on a piece of paper, in a desktop spreadsheet, or on an app – choose the method that’s simplest for you.  

Tweak 2: Based on what you recorded in Tweak 1, identify the meal or snack time that is most lacking in nutrition. Before you make changes, the next tweak will be to establish a predictable routine so that you have consistency during that time of day. For example, if you often skip breakfast or have a high sugar intake at breakfast, spend one week creating a morning routine that allows you 10-15 minutes of dedicated breakfast time.  

Tweak 3: Now that you’ve created a consistent breakfast time (or snack time or lunch time), the next tweak will be to add a nutritious option to that meal. If you typically eat cereal or yogurt for breakfast, add some fresh berries to increase the fiber, hydration, and feeling of satisfaction. If you need convenience but want more protein and whole grains, add some done-for-you breakfast sandwiches to your cart.  

Tweak 4: Your tiny tweaks are working! One important shift is that you’re moving toward your goal at a pace that is realistic and powerful. Even if you have an “off day”, don’t let it derail you from finding the wins in everyday moments. Commit to showing gratitude for your self care and overall health with some positive self talk. Soon you’ll see that the small tweaks you’re making are adding up to big things.   

Example 2: Big Goal = Have Better Mental Health

Tweak 1: For 12 days (broken into four 3-day periods), commit to improving your mental well-being in small steps. For the first three days, start a stress management journal. At four periods throughout the day, write down your thoughts, as well as how each thought makes you feel and what may have triggered each emotion. If a thought is negative or stressful, counter it with a positive recognition of something good that happened today, no matter how small it is.

Tweak 2: For the next three days, commit to improving your social health by reconnecting with friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. Create a short friend check-up list by writing down three people to check in with, whether it’s by a phone call, text, face-to-face meet up, or even a letter.

Tweak 3: Congratulate yourself for committing to your personal health goal of better mental health and reaching this milestone in the process. For the next three days, record in a journal the amount of time you spend on social media or other screen time. Then write down your emotions after the screen time, noting if you feel better, worse, or neutral than before you started. At the end of three days, review the data.

Tweak 4: For the next three days, replace half the amount of time you spent on screen time with some physical activity, whether it’s walking, riding a bike, swinging, deep breathing, or dancing. After each day of your new movement or exercise routine, write down what you did, as well as your emotions after, noting if you feel better, worse, or neutral than before you started.

Smart Goals: The Science Of Tiny Tweaks

When you decide to re-up your commitment to yourself and your healthy lifestyle goal, tackle it by making tiny specific goals, one at a time, instead of a major overhaul.   

BJ Fogg, PhD and behavioral scientist, explains in his book Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything that “the little tweaks you make as you work toward a goal should be so tiny and so simple that there is almost no excuse not to do it.” 

Break down your big goals into smaller SMART goals that are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

Further, research shows that you’re more likely to accomplish goals that are focused on doing something, rather than avoiding something. For example, if you have a goal to eat more healthfully, adding a fruit or vegetable to your snack time will be more attainable than avoiding less nutritious snacks.